4.6.2016Ann Wright hat 5 neue Fotos hinzugefügt.How do anti-war, peace activists in Gangjeong village support themselves?? Some work in the Peace Farm Cooperative! Joan of Ark took us to two farms today in the rainy morning. The first was in the protected, covered greenhouse where they grow corn and beans-I asked how big it was and she said 800 pyeongs-apparently a word indicating how big a grave should be!--An interesting way of measuring!Then we went out of the village to their farm in a ......cemetery--or actually next to a cemetery. They grow corn and peanuts there. The grass in the cemetery is allowed to grow over the gravestones and once a year a family may come to clear out the area around the gravestone. After 30 years, the family may have the ashes removed to another place.Currie, an activist from the US, mentioned that in the US, some people want to be buried in a natural area where grass and weeds are allowed to grow, not in a formal cemetery.Customers buy produce online from the Peace Cooperative!!

Sung-Hee Choi4. Juni um 13:00Fwd: [June 3] Speech by Ann Wright Photographer Mun-hee Oum says.. "the speech was simple. Still it left many lingering images. [..]What is it to make possible to connect the dots. It is the universal love of human beings." Photos by Mun-hee Oum

Sung-Hee Choi4. Juni um 02:23Fwd: [June 3rd] Ann Wright gave speech on the Militarism in Asia and Pacific. Her speech covered many ranges from the matters of military bases in Germany and refuges in Europe which is caused from US/NATO operation in Syria and other countries to the scenes of women's peace walking in Korea, 2016 and the inside of the Jeju navy base where very small part of the Gureombi Rock still remains and military ships being moored. It was a great learning to connect many dots in the world. And also joyful time to talk together after her speech with food. Thanks so much, Ann Wright, for your doing. Photos by Choi Hye-Young강정 사람들(Gangjeong People)

Sung-Hee Choi4. Juni um 02:00Fwd:[June 3] The government sent again the villagers 2nd notice. This time, it says, unless people clear the site by June 13, the communal restaurant and 10 containers for residents would be demolished. Photo: Vice mayor Ko Kwon-il in 2011

Sung-Hee Choi4. Juni um 01:56Fwd: [June 3rd] a media reporter who questioned to the navy chiefs on the lawsuit against Gangjeong is maltreated by the navy spokesperson office personnel (post by Kim Chan-Nyon)

Sung-Hee Choi4. Juni um 01:53Fwd: [June 3rd] In the talk meeting on a naval ship, Island governor Won hee-ryong (Saenuri, ruling conservative party) urged the navy chiefs to reconsider to drop down the lawsuit against the Gangjeong villagers.

Sung-Hee Choi4. Juni um 01:49Fwd:[June 3] A talk meeting on a naval ship joined by the chief of naval operation. Ships exercising water cannon? Photos by Inchun Mpark

Ann Wright hat 7 neue Fotos hinzugefügt.Gestern um 07:42 June 03, 2016During the South Korean Navy's public relations event "Navy Week," "2 of us went onto the Naval base that the people of Gangjeong Village have been fighting for 8 years. Most activists are very well known to the police and would not have been let onto the base, so two of us "unknowns" went. The base is incredibly large with a huge breakwater that we have seen constructed over the years, huge administrative buildings and large oil tanks hidden under ground with hills above them. Three ships were in port including an Aegis missile destroyer which was open to the public.I am going into some detail of the changes for those who have visited Gangjeong village in solidarity with the Stop the Naval Base campaign. The road network around the base has changed the way the activists operate. The 100 bows to the spirits done at 7am is no longer at the former main gate. That gate is now open and one can walk into the military housing complex. The main gate is a formal gate after a new rotary. At noon, no one sits in front of a gate, instead people dance in the wide entrance into the base.The base complex has an area for civilian use including a big running track and an indoor sports complex with a 50 meter swimming pool, work out gym, 7-11 and 2 snack restaurants. It is directly behind the activists camp. The giant solid fences along the main road and the narrow road leading back to the activist camp have been taken down so you can see and walk into the civilian use area.The naval base itself has a big security fence around it.

Ann Wright hat 7 neue Fotos hinzugefügt.Gestern um 08:38 · In our trip into the naval base we spotted what we think is the only remaining part of Gureombi Rock. The coastline surrounding Gangjeong Village consisted of one contiguous volcanic rock called Gureombi. Gureombi Rock features a rare topographical quality -- being comprised of a single 1.2 kilometer-long rock formed by lava flowing into the sea and rocks rising from the seabed. The estuary is Jeju Island’s only rocky wetland and acts as home to several endangered species and soft coral reefs.In 1991, the Jeju Provincial government designated the coastline surrounding Gangjeong Village an Absolute Conservation Area (ACA). In 2002, the area where the naval base construction is currently ongoing was designated a UNESCO Biosphere Conservation Area.[18] In December 2009, Jeju Island Governor Kim Tae-hwan nullified the ACA designation to proceed with the naval base construction. The Jeju Branch of the Korean Federation of Environmental Movements have criticized the Navy’s Environmental Impact Assessment noting that several endangered species are absent from the report.During its recent archeological excavation of the Gangjeong coastal area the Jeju Cultural Heritage Research Institute discovered artifacts dating back to 4-2 B.C.E. inside the naval base construction zone. According to the director of the Korean Cultural Heritage Policy Research Institute only 10 – 20% of the site has been excavated and the naval base construction violates cultural properties protection law.Several of us we talking about how to ensure that the tiny portion of Gureombi Rock remains in tact and continues its cultural and spiritual ties to Gangjeong Village.I mentioned that in some military bases in the United States, there are plaques to remind us of those who lived there before the U.S. government took over their lands.And even in the family housing area on the naval base, there are two murals that represent the indigenous peoples.So we were talking about murals on the naval base depicting the importance of Gureombi Rocks so that hopefully the remaining rocks will not be blown up or concreted over!

Ann Wright hat 6 neue Fotos hinzugefügt.Gestern um 08:21 · Not only has the naval base been built, but the small fishing harbor next to it is being reconstructed with no sense for the environment. Save Jeju Island 생명평화 강정마을

Ann Wright hat 6 neue Fotos hinzugefügt.Gestern um 09:34 · The St Francis Peace Center in Gangjeong Village has a remarkable history, In the 1970s Father Mun was jailed for his protests and 30 years later was awarded compensation for wrongful arrest and jailing. With the money he purchased land overlooking the place where the naval base was to be built.The Bishop of Jeju Island decided to help build a peace center on the land--and now a wonderful place for those working for peace and social justice is in Gangjeong Village!!! It is a beautiful place with a 4th floor viewing area so the eyes of the peace community can be alerting the community to what the war machine is doing!!!

Ann Wright hat 3 neue Fotos hinzugefügt.Gestern um 09:53 · The South Korean Navy filed a civil lawsuit against 116 individual anti-base protesters and 5 groups including the Gangjeong Village Association demanding $3 million in compensation for alleged construction delays caused by protests.Samsung was the primary contractor for the $1 BILLION dollar project!! Villagers are very angry--and the village has sent up a City Hall in a tent across from the entrance to the base to express their displeasure. The Vice-Mayor holds city meetings in the tent and sleeps there!Lawyers for the activists wrote that the navy's lawsuit is "an unjustified declaration of war against the people. When the reckless development of the state and large construction companies threaten the right of citizens to a peaceful existence, the right of citizens to oppose this must be guaranteed as their natural and constitutional right since sovereignty rests with the people. To condemn this action as illegal is to delegitimize the foundation of democracy!!"Please call South Korean embassies and consulates to protest this blatant attempt to silence criticism of government policies and actions!!!